Alaaeddine Ajaraie vs Armando Sadiku: The distinct roles of ISL's top goalscorers
The underlying data paints an interesting picture of how these two top goalscorers operate in such vastly different ways in their respective teams.

NorthEast United FC take on FC Goa at the Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday in a match pits two teams who are trying to stay on the coattails of leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
Barring a few tricky spells aside, it’s generally been smooth sailing for the two teams and the main reason behind the two teams retaining faint hopes of winning the League Shield come January are their two strikers – Alaaeddine Ajaraie of NorthEast United FC and Armando Sadiku of FC Goa.
Ajaraie and Sadiku are the top two leading goalscorers in the ISL this season and although the Moroccan has put him way ahead in the race for the golden boot, these two frontmen finding the back of the net has been one of the few constants in a highly dynamic season.
As the two strikers are set to battle in a vital game for both teams in Guwahati, here’s what the numbers say about the league’s leading goalscorers this season.
Goalscoring
Ajaraie: The Moroccan has 15 goals this season at an average of one goal per game which is a stunning number at this stage of the campaign. He has taken a total of 58 shots, 29 of which are on target and has a goal conversion rate of 25.86%. The 32-year-old has had 101 touches inside the penalty area which also reflects the quality of service that he has received at NorthEast United FC this season.
Sadiku: The Albanian has nine goals to his name this season which may seem less impressive in comparison but is still an excellent tally at this stage of the season. As compared to Ajaraie, Sadiku has a slightly better goal conversion rate at 29.03% with 17 shots on target from a total shot tally of 31. The 32-year-old is more of a finisher as compared to Ajaraie and is not as involved in the final third which is evident from his 55 touches in the opposition box which is almost half compared to Ajaraie.
Creativity:
Ajaraie: The Moroccan has four assists to his name apart from his 15 goals and is more involved in the final-stage build-up than Sadiku. He averages 22 passes per game and has created 25 chances for his team and made 21 key passes. He also has made 23 successful dribbles. Overall, he has 697 touches this season.
Sadiku: The Albanian has two assists to his name and created 12 chances for his team this season which is half of Ajaraie’s tally but the 32-year-old is far less involved in the build-up play which is evident from his total tally of 388 touches this season. Sadiku has made 10 key passes and two successful dribbles this season which makes it clear how distinct his role is as compared to the Moroccan who likes to drift into wide areas as well. Sadiku though is more rigid in his positioning and his primary role is to be on the end of moves rather than be a part of it from an earlier stage.
Workrate:
Ajaraie: This is an area where too the Moroccan comes up trumps, highlighting how key he is to the Highlanders’ success. He has won 79 duels so far and has made 58 recoveries in 15 matches which shows the amount of work rate and fight he puts in into the game. He is very important to Benali from a defensive point of view as he is as a goalscorer which is evident from the number of times he has recovered the ball for his team.
Sadiku: Sadiku is more passive when it comes to winning duels and making recoveries and has won 38 duels for his team and made 18 recoveries. It once again highlights how distinct Sadiku’s role is in the team as compared to the Moroccan.
The two strikers though are vital to their respective teams and will most likely prove to be the difference if their teams come out victorious on Tuesday.
But the numbers of these two great strikers show how two players who are largely known for their one ability – goalscoring – can impact their respective teams in so vastly different ways. Bring on the big battle.